Solar cell panels (also referred to as solar cell modules) are an increasingly popular means of generating renewable power, and recently there has been a wide proliferation of solar projects of all sizes, from small residential installations to large utility scale power production. Current solar cell panels are typically composed of photovoltaic solar cells encased in a rigid supporting frame. When installed, these solar cell panels can be supported by a racking system.
A significant cost associated with solar power projects arises from paying a trained installer to set up a racking assembly and attach solar panels to the assembly. Solar panels are typically attached to racking systems using a complicated multi-step process involving grounding conductors and clamps and/or bolts, which incurs significant labor and material cost. Reducing the number of components and labor required to install solar panels can drastically reduce installation costs.